


Mind Over Muscle

by MarshallDFaythe



Series: Holiday Giftmas Works [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M, Maybe a bit of Promptis if you squint, a very smol body swap, also some angst, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:33:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21808240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarshallDFaythe/pseuds/MarshallDFaythe
Summary: Written for myffxvjourney for my twitter holiday giveaway!Ignis has always been the type to put others before himself. However, after a few broken ribs and an encounter with a Braindrainer, Gladio knows their group lacks the strength to keep going under the watch of someone with the self preservation of a peanut.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Series: Holiday Giftmas Works [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570471
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	Mind Over Muscle

''Look out!'' Prompto shouted, firing a bullet straight through the chest of an Imp and splattering viscous, blackish purple fluid everywhere. Gladio turned, wiping sweat off his brow.

''Damn. Thanks, kid.''

''Don't mention it. What wouldja do without me?'' He cast a boyish grin two seconds before ruthlessly shooting another Imp dead.

They were  _ tired. _ The boys were covered from head to toe in dirt, sweat and blood. This dungeon had gone on far too long and their bones were aching. Even Gladiolus' strength and Ignis' vigilance weren't enough anymore. They had found the Royal Arm they were looking for at long last, but the trek back was turning out to be more of a hassle than expected.

''We can't keep going much longer like this...'' Ignis admitted, holding his side. Gladio noticed the other man's discomfort and drew a potion from the Armiger.

''Iggy, let me take care of that.''

''No, no,'' Ignis huffed, ''I'm quite alright, thank you.''

''That's bullshit, and you know it. You can't push us taking care of ourselves and not do the same for yourself. So, come on. Lift up your shirt.'' Gladio ordered. The two men exchanged charged glances for a moment before Ignis reluctantly untucked his shirt and raised it to showcase large purple bruises painting his rib cage.

''Six, Iggy.'' Gladiolus shook his head, placing a gentle hand on the muscled planes of the advisor's abdomen while he removed the stopper from the potion with his teeth and splashed it along the wounds.

''Thank you...'' Ignis said after a moment, his breathing more even. The largest spots of bruising faded, while some stubborn areas remained.

''We don't have any elixirs left and it looks like you've got some broken ribs. We're making camp for the night.''

''Here???'' Prompto all but whimpered, not thrilled at the idea of sleeping in a daemon infested cave.

''If we don't, Specs is gonna get himself killed.'' Noctis sighed, as he knew him all too well. Before they had a chance to properly pick a place and set up a camp, there was a horrible screeching sound.

Ignis identified the sound, fixing his shirt and summoning his blades, ''Braindrainers! On your guard!''

The other three summoned their weapons as well, looking around for the source of the eerie screeching. Lurking in a dark corner of the room was the daemon-large and blue tinted with massive writhing tentacles. Its form made a mockery of man, resembling some form of wizened spellcaster. Gladiolus stood beside Iggy to make sure he wouldn't undo the good one of their last few potions did him. Prompto raised his gun and waited for the monster to come into the light to get a better shot. They all sensed something was off about this daemon.

''This isn't a normal daemon, right? They always come racing right at us.'' Noctis slowly stepped forward, plucking a sword from his crystal armory.

''Dude, I wouldn't push it. Maybe we can slide on by him and get Ignis out of here.'' Prompto shook his head, grabbing Noct's arm and pulling the impulsive Prince back.

''For the last time, I'm fine.'' Ignis groaned, despising the feeling of being a burden upon his companions.

''Iggy, I need you to-'' Gladio suddenly trailed off as he began to feel light-headed.

Noctis gagged on the smell of something foul, like pickles and toothpaste mixed together into one scent, ''did...did we bring remedies?''

Prompto gasped, the grip on his gun slackening slightly, ''got two...got two in Armiger,'' he replied with a far off voice. Ignis leaned against the wall and drew the two remedies from the Armiger with the last of his remaining strength.

''Noct, Prom...take them.'' He rolled them along the floor weakly. Noctis outstretched his hand but he felt like his arm had suddenly become jelly. He couldn't find purchase in anything. Prompto army crawled to them, getting his hands on one slender bottle. His thoughts were so foggy as he desperately tried to focus on popping the top off the damn thing so he could slam it down. He struggled for what felt like hours, his field of vision changing constantly. Blackness was starting to swallow him as he had to make the choice between himself and Noctis. As the light was fading, he made the only choice he could. Prompto pushed the bottle in between his best friend's lips and tilted it. Had he been thinking straight, he probably would've realized that was a for sure way to make Noct choke. However, Prompto was not in his right mind and he was desperate. All of the strength melted away from his limbs and the blonde slumped over.

Noctis gasped and coughed, the taste in his mouth bitter like cough medicine. He wetted his lips and peered around weakly. A familiar blonde had passed out right ontop of him, breathing slow and even.

''Prompto....'' He would really rip into his friends for their low sense of self preservation at another time. At this particular moment, he could see Prom was clutching another bottle in his other hand. Who should he wake first? Ignis suggested Prompto, hadn't he?  _ If Ignis said it, then there's a reason behind it. I should trust him. _

The (still slightly dazed) Prince sat up and took the bottle from his friend's ice cold hands. He gently rolled him over and popped the top off before cradling his head in his lap and slowly dripping the potion into his mouth. Noct's eyes flitted around, remembering the Braindrainer. However, he didn't see any daemons at all. Nor did he sense a lingering daemonic presence.

Moments later, Prompto was coughing wildly and bolting upright.

''Easy, easy.'' Noct insisted, resting a gentle and on his back.

''Iggy and Gladio, and the daemon, what? What happened?''

Noctis kept his hand on Prompto to reassure him, ''I'm not really sure. The daemon is gone, but he maybe used some sort of gas or spell?''

''What do we do?'' Prompto rubbed his eyes softly.

''We gotta get them out of here.''

''Dude, there's no way we can carry Gladio. Iggy, sure...but Gladio? I'm super weak,'' Prompto groaned, ''why did Ignis ask you to give the remedy to me?''

''Same reason you gave me the remedy first instead of just drinking it yourself and then helping me?'' Noctis nudged his friend's side. Prompto slowly got off the cold stone floor and looked Ignis and Gladio over.

''They look okay. They're breathing evenly and everything. I still have no idea how we'll get them out of here.'' Prompto folded his arms, puzzled over this situation they'd ended up in.

''We're not,'' Noctis pulled the camping gear out of the Arminger, ''we'll just have to stay here for the night.''

''Here? Like, in the same chamber where the Braindrainer who caused all this mess just vanished from? This room?'' The blonde looked as unenthused as he could be.

''Hey, I hate the idea, too. But you're right. Neither of us can lift Gladio out of this place on our own. Braindrainers and Mindflayers have caught us with this stuff before and we just had to wait it out. Then we drank remedies in the morning just in case and we were good as new. That's what we'll do here.''

''I hate the fact that you're making a scary amount of sense right now,'' Prompto sighed loudly, starting to help Noct set up the crappiest little camp they'd ever made.

Ignis woke up from a strange dream. It was one of those odd situations where he knew it was a strange dream although he couldn't entirely remember  _ what  _ he dreamt about. He wasn't surprised to find that his pillow wasn't all that comfortable. Nor was he shocked to discover Noctis and Prompto had eaten Cup Noodles for dinner while he and Gladio were out. Ignis refrained from giving Noctis a lecture (as both boys were clearly tired from fragmented sleep due to taking turns keeping watch) and they did owe them for taking good care of them while they were unconscious.

''We can stop and get some remedies at Wiz's.''

''Probably for the best,'' Ignis sighed deeply, taking a long swig from his Ebony. He noticed Noctis and Prompto were staring at him with confusion, ''what is it?''

''Ah, don't you hate coffee?'' Noctis was the first to comment, quirking a brow.

''It's as if you two have never met me before. I love Ebony. How can we be so sure you two didn't fall prey to the effects of the Braindrainer's powers?''

''Hey, um, Noct?'' 

''Yeah, Prompto?''

''When did Ignis start doing Gladio's morning training sessions?'' Prompto pointed behind them at Ignis busy doing push ups.

''Ignis??? What do you mean, I'm standing right here?'' It was Ignis' turn to raise a brow.

''Wait. Specs? You're not pulling my leg or something, are you?''

Ignis began to worry Noctis and Prompto's effects from the attack were still lingering, ''are you sure you're feeling well?''

''Yes! We had the remedies! There's definitely something freaky going on here.'' Prompto looked from Gladio to Ignis.

''Well, whatever it is, I'm sure we have more than enough Gil to cover remedies for everyone.''

''Iggy, I think you guys need them way more than we do. You're definitely Gladio. Or at least to us, you are.'' Ignis gazed down at his hands and saw his own familiarly calloused skin with delicate and long fingers. This was him, there was no mistaking that.

''Well,'' Ignis began slowly, ''perhaps it's a side effect of whatever gas was used on us. There's much we still don't know about daemons like the Mindflayer or Braindrainer.''

''Let's just get some remedies, stat.'' Noctis insisted, very concerned as it was entirely strange to see Gladio downing a hot cup of coffee.

''Agreed.'' The group packed up the small camp and headed out of the cavern. Ignis began to realize that perhaps Prompto and Noctis were onto something, as his side no longer hurt. However, Gladio kept absentmindedly rubbing the side where Ignis' ribs had been broken. Ignis also found he had trouble fitting in the driver's seat, as if he was much bulkier than he remembered. He had to turn over driving to Noctis while he and Gladio sat in back.

Ignis and Gladio downed the remedies, with no results. It was a loud night at camp while Noctis and Prompto argued over different methods to fix it. Ignis had no part in it, sitting at the edge of the haven and staring up at the sky.

''This seat taken?'' Gladiolus' voice ripped Ignis from his thoughts. He adjusted his spectacles and shook his head.

''By all means,'' Ignis said slowly, ''join me.''

Gladio took a seat beside him and for a long time, it was quiet between the two of them.

''I get wanting to protect Noct. But you've gotta know somethin'. We're a team. You have to start taking better care of yourself if you're going to be a good guardian.''

''Gladio, it isn't that simple. I have a job to do. His Majesty wanted me to-''

''To what? Look after him? In case you've forgotten, I'm his Shield. Yeah, you're a hell of a strategist and you can put up a damn good fight. I'm not trying to knock you down, but you have to lean on me, too. And Prompto. The kid has fire and he's probably just as willing to go above and beyond for Noct as you are. You can't protect anything if you don't take care of you. I'm feeling what you felt, and it's pretty damn bad. You've got several broken ribs here. I wish you'd stopped so we could've done something.'' Gladiolus explained, his eyes not once leaving Ignis'. The advisor felt horribly guilty; as if he were tearing the very fabric of their team apart.

''I never meant to make it seem that way. I just loathe to make any of you slow down for me. What sort of advisor am I if I can't even take care of myself?'' Ignis scoffed. Gladio rested a hand over Ignis' upper back lightly.

''A human one.'' He responded slowly. Ignis fell silent for a while, as no one had ever told him this.

''...I see. Thank you.'' Ignis rested a hand over his side, suddenly realizing he must've changed as pain began blooming over his ribs once more.

''Of course,'' Gladiolus nodded, ''now let's go get you fixed up.''

''Yes, absolutely.'' Emerald eyes glittered in the firelight as Gladio helped Ignis rise off the cold stone edge of the Haven and led him back over to the boys.

Ignis knew he would never stop putting others before himself. It was wired into his DNA, bred into his being, filtered through his blood. However, he did learn that slowing down for a moment to properly heal did not make him a failure. Perhaps the world wasn't as crystal clear and perfect as Ignis wanted it to be, after all. He caught himself stealing glances at Gladiolus from time to time. Maybe unexpected things happen. Bumps in a completely straight road, detours you never once saw coming. Did it halt the destination? Ignis decided that it didn't. But it did make the journey much more interesting.

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you liked it! I hope the scenario you gave me turned out the way you imagined? Gladnis is a somewhat new pairing for me to write and I'm learning that I just really love writing for Ignis. :D Thank you so much for requesting and Merry Christmas!


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